This invention relates to new and improved sealing and storage ring devices with latching apparatus for holding computer tape reels of the general type disclosed in the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ Kulka 2,822,919 Morrison 3,095,969 Kulka 3,124,243 Harnish 3,156,353 Mathus, et al. 3,209,904 Martinez, et al. 3,227,269 Haltgren 3,251,462 Wright 3,310,178 Kulka 3,311,228 Orlando 3,371,882 Osojnak 3,424,303 Osojnak 3,472,386 Osojnak 3,599,786 Osojnak 3,650,388 Dean 3,696,935 Osojnak 3,833,114 Price, et al. 3,939,977 ______________________________________
It has been conventional commercial practice heretofore to use a multiple hinge and/or pivot type overcenter latch such as shown, for example, in Bisbing U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,905 and Dean U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,935. In general, such latches are made of one piece of rigid molded plastic material and comprise an elongated rectangular rigid box-like main body portion having a connecting portion connected thereto at one end thereof by an integral hinge portion. The connecting portion is connected to a molded plastic mounting device on one end portion of a band member by another integral hinge portion or a pivot device. The mounting device is typically integrally formed on the one end portion of the band member. A combination hanger hook and keeper member made of a separate piece of molded plastic material is fixedly mounted on the other end of the band member. A catch is formed on the end of the latch member opposite the integral hinge portion for releasable engagement with the keeper member.
The present invention enables the use of a one piece molded plastic latch member which employs only one rigid non-flexible pivotal connecting means between the latch member and an associated band end portion. The latch member is preferably pivotally connected to the band member by a separate mounting member made of one piece of molded rigid plastic material which includes an integral hanger hook portion. The pivotal connecting means comprises a shaft means integrally formed on the latch member and a slot means integrally formed on the separate mounting member. Thus, the pivotal connecting means is defined by non-integral, separate, non-connected, relatively movable portions of the latch member and the mounting member. The keeper portion may be integrally formed on the other end portion of the band member so that the catch portion of the latch member is located a substantial distance away from the hanger-hook portion rather than next adjacent thereto as in the arrangement of Dean U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,935. Furthermore, the required amount of movement of the latch member between a latched position and an unlatched position and the amounts of force required to effect such movement are substantially reduced in comparison to the multiple hinge and/or pivot arrangements of the prior art. Another feature of the present invention is the provision of multiple abutment surfaces on the latch member which engage multiple abutment surfaces on the keeper device and on the latch mounting device to present accidental release of the latch member during use. Still another feature of the present invention is the construction and arrangement of the pivotal connecting device on the latch member and the latch mounting member which enables limited relative movement in the latched position between the latch member and the latch mounting member and between the latch mounting member and the associated band end portion whereby band tension forces maintain the latched condition and prevent accidental unlatching of the latch member.